JIj  S  (r^^  WC-NRLF 


CO 
CO 


Bli 


I 


STUDY    OUTLINE     SERIES 


CONTEMPORARY 
ENGLISH  LITERATURE 


Many  clubs  are  convinced  of  the  advantage 
of  studying  one  subject  thruout  the  season,  and 
for  this  work  a  carefully  prepared  program  is 
needed.  Local  or  state  committees  and  state 
library  commissions  have  spent  time  in  preparing 
outlines  which  would  be  suitable  for  use  else- 
where if  they  could  be  made  available  by  print- 
ing. It  is  proposed  in  this  series  to  centralize 
such  work  and  to  conserve  the  effort  spent  in 
making  a  good  outline  by  putting  it  in  shape  for 
distribution.  Clubs  themselves  by  an  actual  test- 
ing of  the  outlines  thus  offered  will  be  able  to 
offer  suggestions  9nd  criticism  which  will  lead  to 
a  revision  of  form. 


The  Study  Outline  and  Its  Use 


The  series  will  include  outlines  on  art,  litera- 
ture, travel,  biography,  histoiy  and  present  day 
questions. 

The  outlines  vary  in  length.  If  more  topics 
are  given  than  the  number  of  club  meetings  for 
the  season,  those  topics  that  are  more  difficult 
to  handle  or  on  which  there  is  less  available 
material,  may  be  dropped.  If  there  are  fewer 
topics  than  the  scheduled  meetings,  certain  topics 
may  be  divided. 

Lists  of  books  are  appended  to  some  of  the 
outlines.  It  would  be  well  for  the  club  to  own 
some  of  the  recommended  books.  Others  can 
be  obtained  either  from  the  local  public  library 
or  from  the  state  traveling  library.  When  very 
full  lists  are  given  it  is  not  necessary  for  any 
club  to  use  all  the  books,  but  the  longer  list  leaves 
more  room  for  choice. 

The  best  material  on  some  subjects  may  be 
found,  not  in  books,  but  in  magazines.  These 
may  be  looked  up  under  the  subject  in  the 
Readers^  Guide  to  Periodical  Literature,  Maga- 
zine articles  and  illustrated  material  may  b*e  ob- 
tained from  the  Wilson  Package  Library.  For 
terms  see  fourth  page  of  cover. 

A  list  of  the  study  outlines  now  in  print  will  be 
found  on  page  three  of  this  cover.  For  later 
additions  to  the  list  write  to  publisher. 


CONTEMPORARY 
ENGLISH  LITERATURE 

A  STUDY  OUTLINE 


PREPARED  BY 

ARTHUR  BEATTY,  Ph.D. 

Professor  of  English,  University  of  Wisconsin 
for  the 
Wisconsin  Library  Commission 


THE  H.  W.  WILSON  COMPANY 

WHITE  PLAINS,  N.  Y.  and  NEW  YORK  CITY 

1916 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2007  with  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


http://www.archive.org/details/contemporaryenglOObeatrich 


STUDY  OUTLINE 

ON 

CONTEMPORARY  ENGLISH  LITERATURE 


Poems  or  novels  marked  with  a  star  are  specially 
commended  either  for  their  intrinsic  merit  or  for  their 
representative  character. 

A.  Foundation  Books 

(There  is  no  book  which  covers  the  period 

with  any  degree  of  completion) 
Hugh  Walker,   Literature  of  the  Victorian  era 
(Putnam,  1910,  $2.50)  gives  a  good  account  of  all 
the  dead  authors  who  touch  the  Victorian  period. 

Reuben  Post  Halleck,  New  English  literature 
(American  Book  Co.,  191 3,  90c)  ch.  '9  and  10  deal 
with  the  Victorian  era  and  the  twentieth  century. 

B.  Collateral  References 

Thomas  Hardy,  Profitable  reading  of  fiction, 
Forum  5 :  57-70 

H.  G.  Wells,  The  contemporary  novel,  Atlantic 
109:  i-ii 


I 

ALGERNON  CHARLES  SiWINBURNE  (1837-1909) 

A.    Selections 

Arthur  Beatty,  Swinburne's  selected  poems, 
with  introduction,  notes,  and  bibliograi>hy  (Crowell, 
35c)    (Contains  a  representative  selection  of  poems.) 

Arthur  Beatty,  Swinburne's  selected  dramas, 
with  introduction,  notes,  and  bibliography  (Crowell, 
$1.25)  (Contains  Atalanta  in  Calydon,  Erechtheus, 
and  Mary  Stuart.)      330970 


2  STUDY  OUTLINE  ON 

B.  References 

George  Edward  Woodberry,  Swinburne  (Mc- 
Clure,  Phillips  &  Company,  1906) 

E.  C.  Stedman,  Victorian  poets  (Houghton, 
1903,  $2.25) 

Coventry  Patmore,  Principle  in  art  (Macmillan, 
$1) 

J.  R.  Lowell,  My  study  windows  (Houghton,  $2) 

Oliver  Elton,  Modern  studies  (Longman,  1907, 
$2) 

C.  Poems 

Study  the  lyric,  elegiac  and  personal  poems  for 
Swinburne's  rhythmical  quality  and  thought.  For 
the  first  quality  of  rhythm  and  music  study.  Hymn 
to  Proserpine,  Stylus,  Rococo,  The  garden  of  Pros- 
erpine, and  A  forsaken  garden;  and  for  thought 
study  Hertha,  Hymn  of  man. 

The  ode  to  Athens  is  difficult,  but  is  so  import- 
ant that  it  should  be  studied  carefully. 

D.  Dramas 

Atalanta  in  Calydon  should  be  read  for  its 
magnificent  thought  and  meter.  It  is  the  most  per- 
fect imitation  of  a  Greek  play  in  English. 

Erechtheus  is  a  fine  play,  but  is  not  so  well 
known  as  Atalanta  in  Calydon,  probably  because  the 
story  is  not  so  interesting. 

Among  the  finest  poems  of  Swinburne  are  the 
choruses  in  these  two  plays;  and  they  should  be 
carefully  studied.  Much  help  in  the  appreciation  of 
Swinburne's  verse  will  be  obtained  from  Professor 
Woodberry's  volume. 

II 

GEORGE    MEREDITH     (1828-1909) 

A.     Most  Important  Novels 

*The  ordeal  of  Richard  Feverel  (1859) 
Evan  Harrington  (1861) 
Rhoda  Fleming  (1865) 


ENGLISH  LITERATURE  3 

The  egoist  (1879) 
*Diana  of  the  Cross  ways  (1885) 
The  amazing  marriage  (1895) 

B.  Poems 

The  poetical  works  complete  in  one  volume,  with 
notes  by  G.  M.  Trevelyan  (Scribner,  1912,  $2) 

C.  References 

Letters  of  George  Meredith,  edited  by  his  son, 
(2v.  Scribner,  1912,  $4) 

George  M.  Trevelyan,  Poetry  and  philosophy  of 
George  Meredith  (Scribner,  1912,  $1) 

Constantin  Photiades,  George  Meredith,  trans- 
lated from  the  French  by  Arthur  Price  (Scribner, 
1913,  $1.25) 

D.  Novels  and  Poems 

I.     The  ordeal  of  Richard  Fever  el 

The  theme  of  this  novel  is  a  system  of 
education  as  applied  to  youth  and  its  failure. 

Chapter  XIX. — "A  diversion  played  on 
a  penny  whistle" — is  a  prose  lyric.  Con- 
nect the  opening  rhythm  with  the  meter  of 
his  poem  Love  in  the  valley. 

Write  a  sketch  of  the  character  of  Lucy 
Desborough. 
/p:)    The  egoist 

^  This  is  a  character  study — a  problem  in 

psychology 

Study  the  character  of  Clara  Middleton, 
and  write  a  paper  on  her. 
7^.     Evan  Harrington 

This   is   a  sprightly   story    of  a   young 
tailor,  and  is  based  on  fact. 
Diana  of  the  Crossways 

The  theme  of  this  novel  is  the  right  of  a 
woman  to  work  out  her  own  destiny.  Show 
in  a  paper  how  this  is  done. 

Discuss  Meredith's  treatment  of  divorce. 

Was  Diana  justified  in  selling  the  great 
political  secret  to  the  newspaper?    Discuss. 


STUDY  OUTLINE  ON  • 

Poems 

For  the  early  poems,  study  Love  in  the 
Valley  (1851) 

For  a  fine  treatment  of  love  and  estrange- 
ment, study  Modern  Love  (1862).  Write  a 
paper  on  this  series  of  poems. 

For  Meredith's  philosophy  of  nature  and 
life,  study  The  lark  ascending  (1881),  The 
Woods  of  Westermain  (1883),  Ode  to  the 
spirit  of  earth  in  autumn  (1862),  South-west 
wind  in  the  woodland  (1851).  Read  Tre- 
velyan's  discussion  of  these  poems. 

For  Meredith's  social  poems,  read  his 
ballads,  JuggHng  Jerrv  (1859),  and  The  old 
Chartist  (1862) 


III 


THOMAS    HARDY    (1840-) 

A.  Most  Important  Novels 

Far  from  the  madding  crowd  (1874) 
^Return  of  the  native  (1878) 

Mayor  of  Casterbridge  (1886) 

The  Woodlanders   (1886) 
*Tess  of  the  D'Urbervilles  (1892) 

B.  References 

Helen  Garwood,  Thomas  Hardy,  an  illustration 
of  the  philosophy  of  Schopenhauer,  191 1. 

Lionel  P.  Johnson,  The  art  of  Thomas  Hardy, 
1894.  (John  Lane) 

Anne  McDonell,  Thomas  Hardy,  1895. 

C.  Windle,  The  Wessex  of  Thomas  Hardy,  1902. 

Hermann  Lea,  Thomas  Hardy's  Wessex,  1913. 
(Macmillan) 

Alfred  Noyes,  Poetry  of  Thomas  Hardy.  No 
Am  194 :  96 


ENGLISH  LITERATURE  5 

C.    Novels 

Q.     The  return  of  the  native 

In  an  article  in  Forum,  5 :  57-70,  Hardy 
says:  "Our  true  object  is  a  lesson  in  life, 
mental  enlargement  from  elements  essential 
to  the  narratives  themselves,  and  from  the 
reflections  they  engender."  Apply  this  prin- 
ciple to  this  novel. 

Hardy  makes  a  notable  use  of  nature. 
His  Egdon  Heath  is  almost  a  character  in 
the  novel.    Write  a  paper  on  this. 

Write  a  paper  on  the  pessimism  of  Hardy 
as  shown  in  this  book. 

Clym  Yeobright  is  one  of  Hardy's  great- 
est characters.  Contrast  him  with  the  equally 
fine  character  of  the  reddleman. 

It  has  been  said  that  Hardy's  women  act 
too  much  from  instinct  and  too  little  from 
reason.    In  the  light  of  this,  study  Thomasin 
and  Eustacia  Vye. 
Q.     Tess  of  the  D'Urhervilles 

In  the  preface  to  this  book  (5th  edition) 
Hardy  says:  "A  novel  is  an  impression,  not 
an  argument."  Study  this  perplexing  novel 
with  this  in  mind. 

Tess  is  one  of  the  greatest  woman  char- 
acters in  Hardy.  Note  her  surroundings. 
Write  a  paper  on  her. 

Study  the  two  types  of  character — Angel 
Clare  and  Alec  D'Urberville. 
3.     Far  from  the  madding  crowd 

This  is  an  early  novel,  but  should  be 
studied,  if  only  for  the  sake  of  Gabriel  Oak 
and  Bathsheba  Everdene. 

This  novel  was  mistaken  for  a  work  of 
George  Eliot.  In  what  ways  does  it  resemble 
her  work?   - 


6  STUDY  OUTLINE  ON 

IV 

RUDYARD  KIPLING  (1865-) 

A.  Most  Important  Books 

The  light  that  failed  (1891) 

Barrack  room  ballads   (1892) 
*Plain  tales  from  the  Hills  (1890) 

Life's  handicap  (1897) 
*The  Seven  Seas  (1897) 
*Kim  (1901) 

*First  and  Second  Jungle  Books  (1894  and  1895) 
(Doubleday,  $1.50  a  volume) 

B.  References 

Charles  Eliot  Norton,  Rudyard  Kipling,  a  bio- 
graphical sketch,  1899. 

Numerous  magazine  articles,  especially  from  1897 
on,  attesting  to  his  great  popularity. 

C.  Novels 

I.    Kim 

Notable  as  a  magnificent  picture  of 
Indian  life  in  its  mystery  and  complexity. 

In  character-drawing,  Kipling  has  given 
two  contrasted  types — the  Anglo-Indian  Kim 
and  the  Indian  Buddhist  priest. 

The  philosophy  of  India  is  presented,  and 
is  worth  study. 

D.  Short  Stories 

1.  Plain  tales  from  the  hills 

This  volume  is  notable  as  a  study  of 
Indian  life,  especially  of  English  official  life. 
It  made  India  known  to  the  western  world. 

It  is  notable  for  certain  stories,  especially 
those  which  introduce  the  three  soldiers. 

2.  Life's  handicap 

This  volume  is  memorable  for  the  reason 
that  it  contains  some  of  Kipling's  greatest 
stories:  The  courting  of  Dinah  Shadd,  On 
Greenhow  Hill,  Without  benefit  of  clergy, 
and  The  man  who  was. 


ENGLISH  LITERATURE  7 

It  compares  with  the  other  volume  in  its 
humorous  stories. 

It  is  marked!  by  the  picturing  of  the 
ghastly  and  terrible. 

Poetry 

1.  Barrack-room  ballads 

This  volume  made  Kipling  known,  and 
is  notable  for  Mandalay,  Danny  Deever,  and 
Fuzzy-Wuzzy. 

It  showed  Kipling's  tendency  to  use  very 
unconventional  language  and  rhythms. 

2.  The  Seven  Seas 

This  is  Kipling's  greatest  volume  of 
verse.  In  it  he  shows  himself  as  the  laureate 
of  the  British  Empire.  The  Song  of  the 
English,  The  native  born.  The  flowers,  The 
song  of  the  banjo,  and  some  other  poems 
should  be  studied  to  show  this. 

The  volume  is  remarkable,  too,  for  the 
further  studies  of  army  life,  such  as:  That 
day.  Bill  'Awkins,  and  Soldier  and  sailor  too. 

The  volume  also  contains  what  some 
think  to  be  Kipling's  most  important  and 
characteristic  poem,  MacAndrews'  hymn.  It 
also  contains  the  striking  poem  of  Wander- 
lust, For  to  admire,  and  the  famous  Envoi. 


V 

ROBERT    BRIDGES    (1844-) 

A.  Works 

The  most  important  of  Bridges's  works  are  con- 
tained in  Poems  of  Robert  Bridges  (Oxford  Univ 
Press,  1913,  50c)   -. 

B.  References 

Bridges  and  the  laureateship.  Outlook,  104 :  594. 
Lyrical  poetry  of  the  new  laureate.  Forum,  50: 
877-90. 


8  STUDY  OUTLINE  ON 

Poetry  of  Robert  Bridges,  Living  age,  278:  515- 

29, 

Robert  Bridges's  literary  alphabet,  Independent, 

76: 131 

Laureate  and  his  work.  Independent,  75 :  259-60. 

C.  Plays 

The  two  masks,  Prometheus  the  firegiver,  and 
Demeter,  in  the  Oxford  edition,  are  representative 
of  his  plays.  They  are  literary  and  imitative  of 
classical  models,  and  are  written  in  exquisite  verse. 

D.  Narrative  Poems 

His  one  long  narrative  poem,  Eros  and  Psyche 
(1895),  is  worthy  of  study.  It  is  based  on  the  prose 
account  of  Apuleius,  and  is  worthy  of  its  original. 

Study  the  verse  of  this  poem. 

E.  The  Shorter  Poems 

The  finest  of  these  are  lyrics.     First  should  be 
mentioned  the  sonnet-sequence  called  The  Growth 
of  Love.     Study  this  for  the  story,  and  study  some 
of  the  finest  sonnets  individually. 
The  best  of  the  other  lyrics  are: 

Elegy,  p.  225 

A  passer-by,  p.  244 

There  is  a  hill,  p.  248 

The  downs,  p.  251 

I  have  loved  flowers  that  fade,  p.263 

A  robin,  p.  309 

I  never  shall  love  the  snow  again,  p.  309 

Nightingales,  p.  311 


VI 

GEORGE    GISSING    (1857-1903) 

Most  Important  Novels 
*The  new  Grub  street,  1904  (Dutton,  $1.50) 
Will  Warburton,  1905 
*Thyrza,  1907  (Dutton,  $1) 


ENGLISH  LITERATURE  9 

B.    References 

Read  carefully  Gissing's  The  private  papers  of 
Henry  Ryecroft,  1906  (Button,  v^i.50).     This  book 
is  really  an  autobiography  of  Gissing,  and  gives  fine 
expression  to  his  noble  artistic  ideals  in  fiction. 
Reminiscences,  Living  age,  251:216 
The  idealistic  realist,  Atlantic,  93 :  280. 
An  impression  of  Gissing,  Living  age,  243 :  31 
Gissing,  The  spokesman  of  despair,  Living  age, 

243 '  733. 

Work  of  George  Gissmg,  Livmg  age,  240:714- 

723. 


Novels 

1.  The  New  Grub  Street 

Connect  this  novel  with  The  private 
papers  of  Henry  Ryecroft,  and  note  the 
autobiographical  element. 

Note  how  the  story  is  made  to  revolve 
around  the  literary  center. 

Note  that  in  spite  of  the  general  theme, 
Gissing  has  a  place  for  humor  in  the  book. 

2.  Will  Warhurton 

Note  the  sub-title:  "A  romance  of  real 
life."  This  is  eminently  characteristic  of  the 
author. 

Follow  the  career  of  Warburton,  and 
note  the  autobiographical  element. 

3.  Thyrza 

Egremont,  "the  idealist,"  the  social  re- 
former, and  his  love,  form  the  subject  of  the 
novel.     Study  his  character. 

Note  the  London  of  Gissing  which  is  the 
background  of  this  novel,  and  the  London 
tyes  of  character. 

With  Egremont  contrast  Gilbert  Grail, 
the  "man  of  the  people." 

The  main  character  in  the  book  is,  of 
course,  Thyrza  Trent.  She  is  a  remarkable 
study  in  characterization. 


10  STUDY  OUTLINE  ON 

VII 

JOSEPH    CONRAD    (1857-) 

A.  Most  Important  Novels 

*Typhoon,  1903  (Putnam,  $1.50) 

Nostromo,  1904  (Harper,  $1.35) 
"^Lord  Jim,  1909  (Doubleday,  $1.35) 

Romance,  1912  (Doubleday,  $1.35) 

Chance,  1914  (Doubleday,  $1.35) 

B.  References 

Art  of  Joseph  Conrad,  Living  age,  236: 120. 

Genius  of  Joseph  Conrad,  North  American  re- 
view 178:  842-52. 

Atlantic,  98 :  697. 

Disquisition  of  Conrad,  Living  age,  257 :  416-20. 

Joseph  Conrad  and  sea  fiction.  Living  age,  276: 
264-78. 

Harper's  weekly,  46:1412-3,  and  Forum  34: 
400-2. 

If  Conrad's  preface  to  The  Nigger  of  the  "Nar- 
cissus" is  available,  it  should  be  read,  as  it  gives  an 
insight  into  Conrad's  methods  and  ideals. 

C.  Novels 

I.     Typhoon 

The  primary  qualities  of  Conrad  are  (i) 
powers  of  description,  especially  description 
of  the  sea,  (2)  intensity  of  emotional  narra- 
tive, (3)  tensely  emotional  characterization, 
and  (4)  vividness  and  swiftness  of  action. 

The  striking  thing  about  his  thought  is 
his  fatalism,  or  belief  in  chance.  This  is 
clearly  to  be  seen  in  his  novels,  and  should 
be  studied. 

Study  the  characters  in  the  light  of  these 
statements,  and  in  relationship  to  the  general 
action. 

Study  Conrad's  descriptions  of  the  right 
of  the  ship  against  the  tempestuous  seas. 


ENGLISH  LITERATURE  11 

2.     Lord  Jim 

Study  the  leading  character,  and  note 
how  he  recovers  his  self-respect. 

Note  the  descriptions  of  sea  and  forest. 

Note  the  psychological  problem  involved : 
the  man  failed  to  meet  a  crisis,  lost  his  self- 
respect,  and  succeeds  in  regaining  it  after  a 
long  period. 

VIII 

WILLIAM    DE    MORGAN    (1839-) 

A.  Most  Important  Novels 

Joseph  Vance,  1906  (Holt,  $1.35) 
^Somehow  good,  1908  (Holt,  $1.35) 
*It  never  can  happen  again,  1909  (Holt,  $1.35) 

B.  References 

William  T.  Scott,  Chesterton  and  other  essays 
(Eaton  &  Mains,  1912,  $1.25) 

Somehow  good.  Living  age,  257 :  567-70. 

De  Morgan,  artist,  potter,  and  novelist.  Outlook, 
90:711-18. 

De  Morgan's  confession.  Outlook,  96:375. 

Letter  to  William  de  Morgan,  Atlantic,  106 :  249- 
53- 

C.  Novels 

I.    Somehow  good 

The  title  is  borrowed  from  Tennyson's 
In  Memoriam: 

"O,  yet  we  trust  that,  somehow,  good 

Will  be  the  final  goal  of  ill." 
This  moral  problem  is  the  theme  of  the  whole 
novel.    Study  in  detail  how  it  is  worked  out 
in  the  case  of  Sally. 

De  Morgan  is  a  real  character  creator. 
Sally  is  well  worth  study. 

Note  De  Morgan's  interest  in  the  psycho- 
logical problem  of  lost  personality  and  its 
gradual  return. 


12  STUDY  OUTLINE  ON 

The  author  has  been  blamed  for  his  use 
of  the  "long  arm  of  coincidence."     Is  this 
true  of  the  meeting  of  Sally  and  Fenwick  ? 
2.     It  never  can  happen  again 

Study  the  relationship  between  Dickens 
and  De  Morgan.  Compare  Lizarann  Coup- 
land  and  her  father  with  some  of  Dickens's 
characters. 

Compare  the  use  of  London  as  a  back- 
ground in  Dickens  and  De  Morgan. 

Study  the  character  of  Lady  Julia  Ak- 
royd,  and  her  relationship  to  Alfred  Challis. 

As  type  of  the  hateful  character,  Mrs. 
Eldridge   ("Charlotte")  is  worthy  of  study. 

De  Morgan  is  humorous  and  pathetic  in 
character  and  incident.  To  illustrate  this, 
follow  the  career  of  Lizarann. 


IX 


H.   G.   WELLS    (1866-) 

A.  Most  Important  Novels 

=^Tono-Bungay,   1908   (Duffield,  $1.50) 
The  New  Machiavelli,  1910  (Duffield,  $1.35) 

^Marriage,  1912  (Duffield,  $1.35) 
The  passionate  friends,  1913  (Harper,  $1.35) 

B.  References 

H.  G.  Wells  and  the  American  sphinx.  Living 
age,  251:565. 

The  theme  of  Tono-Bungay,  Living  age,  264: 
604-607. 

Outlook,  70:780-781. 

Atlantic,  94 :  275. 

North  American  review,   198:718-723. 

H.  G.  Wells,  social  prophet,  Independent,  76: 
348-353. 


ENGLISH  LITERATURE  13 

C.    Novels 

1.  Tono-Bungay 

For  an  understanding  of  the  purpose  of 
Wells  and  of  the  novel  in  general  as  he  con- 
ceives it,  read  an  article  by  Wells  on  the 
contemporary  novel  in  the  Atlantic  monthly, 
January  19 12. 

Note  that  this  novel  is  a  story  of  "big 
business,"  the  story  of  the  success  and  fail- 
ure of  a  business  in  a  patent  medicine. 

Wells  is  weak  in  characterization.  Uncle 
Ponderovo  is  the  only  living'  character. 

Note  the  conventional  characters,  such 
as  George  Ponderovo  and  Beatrice. 

The  novel  is  autobiographical  in  form, 
and  is  really  so,  to  a  large  extent,  of  Wells 
himself. 

2.  Marriage 

A  study  in  marriage.  Note  that  it  is  not 
a  story  of  illicit  passion,  but  an  attempt  to 
show  how  people  are  alienated  by  the  mere 
complexity  of  modern  urban  life. 

The  story  is  an  indictment  of  modern 
society,  in  its  bad  fitting  of  means  to  end  and 
its  terrible  waste.  See  the  passage  on  waste, 
p.  490^. 

The  ending  has  been  criticized  as  un- 
convincing. However,  Labrador  was  in- 
tended by  the  author  to  stand  for  a  society 
where  people  could  get  back  to  first  things 
and  simple  relationships.  It  was  there  that 
husband  and  wife  first  learned  to  know  each 
other. 

Each  of  Wells's  novels  has  a  "thesis," 
and  this  is  no  exception. 


14  STUDY  OUTLINE  ON 

X 

ARNOLD    BENNETT    (1867-) 

A.     Most  Important  Novels 

"^Clayhanger,  1910  (Dutton,  $1.50) 
Hilda  Lessways,  191 1  (Dutton,  $1.50) 
"^The  old  wives'  tale,  1909  (Doran,  $1.50) 


B.     References 

The  fiction  of  Arnold  Bennett,  Harper's,  124 
638-40. 

Arnold  Bennett,  an  appreciation.  Living  age,  269 
131-6. 


C.     Novels 

1.  Clay  hanger 

This  novel  illustrates  certain  character- 
istics of  Bennett:  (i)  he  is  the  novelist  of 
ordinary,  everyday  commercialism;  not  of 
romantic  commercialism.  Edwin  Clayhanger 
is  an  ilustration  of  this;  (2)  he  localizes  his 
best  stories  at  Five  Towns;  (3)  his  plots  are 
very  loose;  (4)  he  is  interested  in  facts  and 
things  and  not  in  character. 

Note  that  this  novel  is  a  detailed  story  of 
a  man's  life. 

2.  The  old  wives'  tale 

Read  the  preface  to  the  novel. 

This  story  is  a  detailed  account  of  the 
lives  of  two  sisters. 

Note  the  variety  of  character  types. 

Note  the  descriptions:  for  instance,  the 
execution,  p  331^,  the  siege  of  Paris,  p  400;^, 
and  the  murder,  p  219^. 


ENGLISH  LITERATURE  15 

XI 

JOHN  GALSWORTHY    (1867-) 

A.  Most  Important  Works 

1.  Novels 

*The  Man  of  Property,    1906    (Putnam, 

$1.35) 

Fraternity,  1909  (Putnam,  $1.35) 
*The  Patrician,  1911  (Scribner,  $1.50) 

2.  Plays 

Plays:  *The  silver  box,  Joy,  *Strife. 
(Putnam,  $1.35) 

B.  References 

J.    Galsworthy,    the  new   spirit   in  the   drama. 
Living  age,  277 :  259-66. 
Nation,  95 :  572. 
Outlook,  March  23,  191 2. 
Harper's  weekly,  April  6,  19 12. 

C.  Novels 

1.  The  man  of  property 

This  is  a  story  of  a  family  group — ^the 
Forsytes. 

It  is  an  attack  on  conventionality,  as 
embodied  in  the  story  of  June  and  Philip 
Bonsinney. 

2.  The  patrician 

A  satire  on  "the  Vere  de  Veres,"  the  high 
aristocracy,  and  their  prejudices. 

Note  that  the  entanglement  depends  on 
divorce  and  its  problems. 

Miltoun  is  a  fine  study  of  character.  The 
tragedy  comes  not  from  wickedness,  but  from 
lack  of  stamina. 

D.  Plays 

I.     The  silver  boJxr 

The  play  is  an  indictment  of  the  law  as 
it  is  administered.  Jack  is  not  arrested,  but 
Jones  is  sentenced. 

Note  how  the  play  makes  no  concession 
to  sentiment.    It  moves  relentlessly  to  its  end. 


16  STUDY  OUTLINE  ON 

2.    Strife 

The  theme  is  the  struggle  between  Capi- 
tal and  Labor,  and  its  consequences. 

Note  the  two  men,  John  Anthony  and 
David  Roberts,  both  strong  and  honest,  and 
both  wrong. 

XII 
WILLIAM    BUTLER    YEATS    (1865-) 

A.  Most  Important  Plays 

*The  Countess  Cathleen  (1899) 
*The  Land  of  Heart's  Desire  (1894) 
^Cathleen  ni  Hoolihan  (1902) 
The  first  two  plays  are  contained  in  the  Poetical 
works  of  Yeats,  1907  (Macmillan,  $2). 

The  third  play  is  contained  in  The  Hour-glass 
and  other  plays,  1904  (Macmillan,  $1.25  net). 

B.  References 

H.  S.  Krans,  Yeats  and  the  Irish  literary  revival, 
1904  (McClure,  Phillips  &  Co.) 

William  Sharp,  Later  work  of  Yeats,  North 
American  review,  175:473,  485. 

C.  F.  G.  Masterman,  After  the  reaction,  Living 
age,  244:  197-9. 

C.  Plays 

1.  The  Countess  Cathleen 

Note  that  the  play  is  in  verse. 

The  play  is  the  story  of  the  sale  by  the 
Countess  Cathleen  of  her  soul  to  the  Demon 
to  save  others. 

2.  The  Land  of  Heart's  Desire 

A  perfect  gem  of  poetry. 
A  beautiful  fairy  play  on  the  theme  of 
revolt  from  dull  reality. 

3.  Cathleen  ni  Hoolihan 

The  heroine  is  the  symbol  of  Ireland  in 
the  possession  of  the  English. 

Show  how  this  theme  is  developed. 


ENGLISH  LITERATURE  17 

XIII 

ARTHUR    CHRISTOPHER    BENSON    (1862-) 

A.  Most  Important  Works 

*The  Upton  letters  (1907) 
*From  a  college  window  (1907) 
Ruskin,  a  study  in  personality  (1911) 
(Putnam,  $1.25  each) 

B.  References 

Three  Bensons,  Living  age,  27:713-19. 
Harper's  weekly,  51:  1644. 
Outlook,  85:399-401. 
Forum,  40 :  400-5. 

C.  Books 

In  the  work  on  Ruskin,  he  attempts  to  recon- 
struct the  personality  of  Ruskin;  and  so  to  bring 
home  to  us  the  work  of  his  author. 

This  is  characteristic  of  the  work  of  Benson  in 
general.  All  his  work  is  a  study  and  revelation  of 
personality. 

From  a  college  zvindozv  is  a  very  fine  example  of 
this  general  principle. 

Select  for  study  half  a  dozen  essays  from  the 
first  two  volumes. 

XIV 
GILBERT    K.    CHESTERTON    (1874-) 

A.  Most  Important  Works 

^Heretics,  1905  (John  Lane,  $1.50) 

Tremendous  Trifles,  1910. 

Robert  Browning,  1903. 
*The  Victorian  age  in  literature,  19 13  (Holt,  50c). 

B.  References 

William  T.  Scott,  Chesterton  and  other  essays, 

1912  (Eaton  and  Mains,  $1.25). 
Forum,  40 :  394-400. 
Outlook,  yy\  580-81. 
Atlantic  monthly,  92 :  420-3. 


18  STUDY  OUTLINE  ON 

C.    Books 

1.  Heretics 

In  this  book  is  seen  to  best  advantage  his 
love  of  paradox. 

He  has  a  remarkable  way  of  putting 
things  in  a  new  way. 

He  is  a  social  satirist,  and  thus  alHes 
himself  with  such  men  as  Galsworthy. 

2.  The  Victorian  age  in  literature 

This  volume  shows  his  grudge  against 
the  Victorian  age.  It  also  shows  him  at  his 
best  as  a  critic  of  a  period. 

The  book  is  to  be  noted  for  its  brilliant 
studies  of  some  of  the  main  authors  of  the 
period,  for  instance,  of  Macaulay,  Tennyson, 
and  Browning. 

Chesterton  has  written  novels,  poems, 
and  plays;  but  his  essays  are  much  more 
important. 


XV 


ALFRED    NOYES     (1880-) 

A.  Most  Important  Works 

Collected  poems  of  Alfred  Noyes,  1913  (Stokes, 

$3)- 

B.  References 

Review  of  Noyes's  poems,  North  American  re- 
view, 183:  1179-82. 

Alfred  Noyes  as  a  poet.  North  American  review, 
188:451-4. 

Review  of  Drake,  Forum,  43 :  550-8. 

North  American  review,  194:96-105. 

Forum,  8:535-48. 

Century,  July,  1914. 


ENGLISH  LITERATURE  19 

C.     Poems 

1.  Forty  singing  seamen,  and  The  barrel  organ 

These  poems  are  most  characteristic  of 
Noyes's  early  work.  They  are  marked  by 
(i)  rollicking  rhythms  and  (2)  humor. 

2.  The  highzvayman  is  an  example  of  a  grim 
story  treated  with  power. 

3.  Drake  (1909)  is  a  long  epic  praising  the 
"spacious  time  of  great  Elizabeth"  in  general  and 
the  heroism  of  Drake  in  particular. 

a  Study  the  character  of  Drake  as 
depicted  in  the  poem. 

b  Study  the  lyrics  which  are  introduced 
into  the  main  body  of  the  story. 

4.  Tales  of  the  Mermaid  Tavern  (1913)  is  a 
series  of  poems  celebrating  the  greatness  of  Shake- 
speare, Marlowe,  Ben  Johnson,  and  their  contempo- 


raries. 


Note  the  fine  ballad  poem,  A  knight  of 
the  Ocean-Sea,  in  praise  of  Sir  Humphrey 
Gilbert. 

The  Sign  of  the  Golden  Shoe  is  the 
tragic  story  of  Christopher  Marlowe. 


XVI 


WILFRID   WILSON    GIBSON    (1878-) 

A.  Most  Important  Works 

Daily  bread,  1910   (Macmillan,  $1.25) 
*Fires,  in  three  books,  1912   (Macmillan,  $1.25) 

B.  Reference^ 

A  poet  of  the  people.  Outlook,  100 :  328-9. 
Two  of  the  newest  poets,  Atlantic  monthly,  1 1 1  ; 
489-95. 


20  STUDY  OUTLINE  ON 

C.     Poems 

1.  Daily  bread  is  a  series  of  little  plays,  or 
dialogues,  dealing  with  the  life  of  the  laboring 
classes. 

Note  especially,  On  the  road.  The  firstborn, 
and  especially  The  night-shift. 

Note  the  short  line  and  free  rhythm  of  these 
poems. 

2.  Fires  is  a  series  of  poems  on  topics  similar 
to  those  of  Daily  bread. 

As  a  sample  study  especially  The  hare. 

Note  that  it  is  written  in  the  four-foot  iambic 
line,  rhyming  in  couplets. 

The  machine,  The  crane,  and  The  ovens  have 
as  their  background  modern  machinery. 

Red  Fox  is  a  tale  of  passion. 

The  shop  is  a  pleasant  little  domestic  story 
told  by  the  customer  of  the  shop. 


XVII 


JOHN     MASEFIELD     (1875-) 

A.  Most  Important  Works 

*The  everlasting  mercy,  191 1. 
The  widow  in  the  Bye  street,  191 1  (Macmillan) 
The  story  of  a  round-house,  1913 
The  first  two  are  contained  in  one  volume  (Mac- 
millan,  $1.25) 

B.  References 

A  visit  to  John  Masefield,  Independent,  73 :  533- 

538- . . 

Living  English  poets,  North  American  review, 

198:375-7. 

Masefield's  poetry.  Living  age,  278 :  141-8. 

Poetry  and  the  average  man.  Outlook,  103  :  260-1. 

Two  of  the  newest  poets,  Atlantic  monthly,  1 1 1 : 
489-95. 


ENGLISH  LITERATURE  21 

Poems 

1.  The  everlasting  mercy 

The  poem  is  narrative,  and  is  thus  char- 
acteristic of  Masefield. 

The  poem  deals  with'  life  in  a  very  real- 
istic manner.  Nevertheless,  there  is  a 
strongly  marked  idealistic  tendency. 

The  verse  form  is  the  four-foot  iambic 
rhyming  in  couplets. 

2.  The  story  of  a  round-house 

This  is  the  story  of  a  man  who  aspired 
to  be  an  artist,  but  who  was  cut  off  by  a  hard 
fate. 

The  description  of  the  storm  at  sea  in 
this  poem  is  probably  unsurpassed  in  English 
literature.  It  may  be  compared  with  the 
storm  in  Byron's  Don  Juan,  Canto  II. 

Study  the  character  of  Dauber,  and  note 
that  while  he  failed,  he  at  least  aspired. 

Masefield  is  a  narrative  poet.  Study  the 
vigor  and  directness  of  this  story. 

Note  that  in  spite  of  the  occasional  and 
frequently  needless  vulgarity  of  language, 
Masefield  has  a  serious  purpose. 


s\ 


tlp^' 


List  of  Study  Outlines 

Contemporary  Drama.  Prepared  by  Prof.  Arthur  Beatty 
for  the  Wisconsin  Library  Commission.  Ibsen,  Maeter- 
linck, Hauptmann,  Sudermann,  Echegaray,  Rostand,  Tchc- 
koff,  Brieux,  Robertson,  Jones,  Pinero,  Phillips,  Shaw,  Gals- 
worthy, Yeats,  Gregory,  Synge,  Fitch.  List  of  plays,  most 
important  ones  starred.  Interpretative  notes  and  suggestive 
ideas  for  discussion  and  study.     I2p  25c. 

Contemporary  English  Literature.  Prepared  by  Prof. 
Arthur  Beatty  for  the  Wisconsin  Library  Commission. 
Swinburne,  Meredith,  Hardy,  Kipling,  Bridges,  Gissing, 
Conrad,  De  Morgan,  Wells,  Bennett,  Galsworthy,  Yeats, 
A.  C.  Benson,  Chesterton,  Noyes,  W.  W.  Gibson,  Masefield. 
List  of  most  important  works.  Critical  references.  Certain 
books  studied  with  interpretative  notes.    2ip  25c, 

Dietetics.  Programs  for  10  club  meetings.  The  study  is 
based  on  four  selected  books  and  the  Farmers*  Bulletins.  lOp. 
Under  one  cover  with  "Home  Economics." 

England  and  Scotland:  History  and  Travel.  Prepared  by 
C.  E.  Fanning.  Intended  for  travel  study  club  which  has  a 
historical  foundation  for  its  work.  Bibliograp;-y.  List  of 
additional  topics.    lop   25c. 

Home  Economics.  Prepared  by  the  Home  Economics  Di- 
vision, Agricultural  Extension  Department,  Purdue  Univer- 
sity. Programs  for  10  club  meetnigs.  The  study  is  based 
on  three  selected  books  and  the  Farmers'  Bulletins,  up.  Un- 
der one  cover  with  "Dietetics."    25c. 

Italian  Art:  A  General  Survey.  Prepared  for  the  Minne- 
sota Library  Commission.  Chronological  order  of  subjects 
6p  ISC 

Mexico.  Prepared  by  Study  Club  Department,  Wisconsin 
Library  Commission.  2p.  To  be  used  in  the  same  year  with 
South  America  Past  and  Present  or  Panama.  Under  one 
cover  with  Panama.     iSc. 

Municipal  Civics.  Prepared  by  Anna  L.  Guthrie.  A  topical 
outline  with  references  by  page  to  books  and  periodicals. 
Bibliography.    32p   25c. 

Panama.  Prepared  by  L.  E.  Stearns  for  the  Wisconsin 
Library  Commission.    4p.     Under  cover  with  Mexico. 

Present  Day  Industries  in  the  United  States.  Prepared  by 
the  Study  Club  Department,  Wisconsin  Library  Commission. 
Topical  outline  without  references.    6p  15c. 

Slav  Peoples.  Prepared  by  Gregory  Yarros.  The  history, 
present  distribution  and  culture  of  the  Slavs.  A  topical  out- 
line with  references  under  each  topic.    Bibliography.  24p.  25c. 

South  America.  Prepared  by  Corinne  Bacon.  Topical 
outline  with  chapter  and  page  references  as  a  help  in  the 
preparation  of  papers.     Full  bibliography.     32p  25c. 

United  States  since  the  CivU  War.  Prepared  by  C.  E. 
Fanning.  Intended  for  clubs  studying  advanced  American  his- 
tory and  modern  problems.    Bibliography.     lOp   25c. 


ijl 

-   —  T^-    T-.„4^;„o    T  pnvitf-   Wilson.     Ccj'' 

its   ii'i 
THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE         i^P^' 
STAMPED  BELOW  47p. 

—  •  ! 

AN  INITIAL  FINE  OF  25  CENTS        ^uJ 

WILL   BE   ASSESSED    FOR    FAILURE  TO   RETTURN  ' 

THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  SO  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $1.00  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


epared    to    fu 
imum  rental  cl 
irticlcs  on  each  t 


/n  Company 

i,  N.  Y. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


